January 23 - Job 15:1-18:21

Good morning everyone,

Psalm 23 

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.

As we continue our story in Job, he is experiencing some pretty dark times, for sure. His friends have lost their patience with him and his situation; compassion is nonexistent. That hurts my heart. With the first round of accusations concluded, Eliphaz, Bildad,  and Zophar will all, in turn, go round two, pressing their arguments further. This time more rude, more intense and more threatening . . . but they say nothing new.

There is an old saying that goes, “You can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” Job’s friends had no idea what he was going through, but that didn’t stop them from giving their “expert” opinions, heaping more hurt on him adding to what he already had. Lesson 1: Unless you have first hand experience with what a person is suffering, do not give expert advise. Make sense?

Ephesians 4:32 says. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” 1 Peter 3 says, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.”

Job’s friends were unkind, hostile even, in their attempt to get him to “buck up.” Lesson 2: Have a little mercy, sympathy and pity for that person who is going through a rough time. Love them!! When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said, “To love God with all our heart, mind and strength.” But He added that the second commandment “is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. Friends, we need to remember that, always, with all people. Right?

In chapter 17 Job is down for the count. His despair is reaching an all time low “but God,” ( you all know that is one of my favorite phrases … yeah?) but God is right there with him in his valley of darkness, where our loving Father’s goodness and mercy will follow him all the days of his life. 

Friends, keep your eyes on the prize because, our hope in in the Lord, and someday . . . someday, we too will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Come, Lord Jesus, come! Amen?

Have a great day and to our Abba, our Father in heaven, be all glory honor and praise.

God bless you all …